Gosport asthma victim’s mum welcomes school inhaler plan

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A PLAN for all schools to have an emergency inhaler has been welcomed by a mother whose daughter died from an asthma attack.

The government has now changed its policy so schools can carry an emergency asthma inhaler.

Holly Sparshott, 12, a Year 8 pupil at Bay House School in Gosport, who died on Thursday, October 24.''Holly suffered from an asthma attack at home before being taken to Brockhurst Medical Centre in Gosport, where she collapsed and was then taken to QA then SGH. She then fell into a coma and was eventually taken to Naomi House for a week where she died. ENGPPP00120131029114043

Previously schools couldn’t hold them because they are classed as prescription medicines.

The move has been welcomed by Sarah Sparshott, whose daughter Holly, 12, (pictured), died following an asthma attack in Brockhurst Medical Centre, last year.

Since then Ms Sparshott, of Elson Lane, Gosport, has been campaigning to raise awareness of asthma and has praised the move for schools to carry inhalers.

She has also been campaigning for schools to let asthmatic children keep hold of their inhalers instead of handing it in at the reception.

The 42-year-old said: ‘This is something that is essential and I’m glad it has been brought in.

‘I have been this saying for years and it will help many children.

‘I hope the inhalers will be in places that are easily accessible, because a lot of time could be wasted in trying to locate where they are and then getting the child to the inhaler.

‘This is something I am very passionate about and it will benefit younger children especially.

‘Older children are more capable of remembering their inhalers and how to use them, so this will be good for younger children.’

National figures show one in 11 children suffer from asthma, and around two-thirds of these will have an attack in school. But also 86 per cent of children say they have been without their own inhaler because they have forgotten, lost or broken it or it has run out.

Around 20 children of school age in England and Wales die every year from asthma and most deaths occur before the child reaches hospital.

Kay Boycott, chief executive of Asthma UK, which led a campaign to make the changes, said: ‘Following a long-fought campaign by Asthma UK, schools will be able to legally keep spare emergency inhalers to keep children with asthma safe at school.

‘This will not only give reassurance to millions of parents, but it is also vital for children in every classroom with asthma to reduce their risk of having a potentially life-threatening asthma attack at school.’